School of Business & Public Management

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Start date: 2020Subject: search.filters.subject.Operational efficiency

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    Catch-up or divergence? Operational efficiency convergence dynamics of Islamic banks in SSA
    (SSBFNET, 2026) Njogo, Michael Njoroge.; Korir, Fiona Jepkosgei.; Dallu,Abdallah Mambo.
    Abstract This study examines whether Islamic banks in SSA exhibit convergence in operational efficiency or whether performance disparities persist over time. Specifically, it evaluates whether less efficient banks catch up with more efficient peers within the region’s emerging Islamic banking sector. The study adopts a two-stage empirical framework using panel data from 35 Islamic banks across SSA over the period 2010–2024. In the first stage, operational efficiency scores are estimated using a bias-corrected Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model following the Simar and Wilson two-stage approach. An input-oriented specification under Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) is employed to reflect cost minimization behaviour and heterogeneity in bank size. Bias correction is implemented using a bootstrap procedure to obtain consistent efficiency estimates. In the second stage, convergence dynamics are analysed using sigma (σ) and beta (β) convergence models, alongside conditional convergence regressions incorporating bank size, age, and market concentration. The results reveal significant β-convergence, with the baseline model yielding a coefficient of −0.267 (p < 0.01), while the conditional model confirms robust convergence (β = −0.2836, p < 0.01), indicating that banks with lower initial efficiency improve at a faster rate than more efficient institutions, consistent with catch-up dynamics. However, σ-convergence results show that efficiency dispersion declined between 2010 and 2019 but increased after 2020, indicating that convergence was time-varying rather than uniform. This suggests that while convergence forces exist, structural differences and external shocks continue to sustain efficiency gaps across banks. The findings highlight the need for stronger regulatory harmonization, improved financial infrastructure, and targeted capacity-building initiatives to accelerate efficiency convergence across Islamic banks in SSA.
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    Effect of Fundamental Firm Characteristics on Operational Efficiency of Microfinance Banks in Kenya
    (International Journal of Finance and Accounting, 2022) Ondabu, Ibrahim T; Witila, Christian D
    This study seeks to examine the effect of fundamental firm characteristics on the operational efficiency of microfinance banks in Kenya. The independent variables were firm size, liquidity, leverage, cash reserves and asset tangibility. Descriptive research design was adopted, and study collected data from twelve (12) licensed microfinance banks in Kenya. This study adopted panel data regression model to analyse data with the assistance of STATA version 12. The analysed data was presented using tables and figures. The study found that firm size and asset tangibility had statistically significant positive effect on operational efficiency of microfinance banks in Kenya. The study further found that that liquidity, leverage and cash reserve had statistically insignificant negative effect on operational efficiency of microfinance banks in Kenya. The study recommends that microfinance banks should embrace asset tangibility on their strategic decision making and also that they can issue more debt as a strategy for more revenue generation. Also, the Central Bank of Kenya should formulate and enact a policy which makes commercial debt cheaper hence reduce cost of operations of microfinance banks so as to reduce interest rates in order to attract investors who will inject more funds into these financial firms. The study also recommends that microfinance banks ought to increase their network of branches countrywide to attract new customers to open new accounts and in so doing increase their deposits and that the Central Bank of Kenya should formulate policies that encourage microfinance banks to invest more in research and development and innovation so as to enable microfinance banks to design and develop competitive products or services that add value to the customers and which will foster their growth at large.